Spirit Waker

The scarred and battered mare slams into the floor and skitters away bleeding from freshly opened claw marks upon her barrel and flank. She cowers in the corner as the creature before her continues to lash out. More and more glass and wooden objects become destroyed upon being slammed into the floor. The overturned dark oak table, once smooth, now has rivets carved into it by claws.

The room that was just recently cleaned from his recent activities finds itself in an even worse state of affairs. then it was before. Blood lies scattered through the room, sheets freshly folded lie shredded across shelves and the bed. One of the end tables lies on its top due to the legs being broken and embedded into the wall through the head of one of the stallion servants who happened to be in the wrong place wrong time. A tragic fate for both him and the mare's sanity.

All of this is due to his rage coming from recent events. Though nopony or anygrph will speak up, the rumor of the recent loss has already spread quite far. The Gryphs that are not loyal to the commander has been seen sending messages and making runs to whoever they actually answer to. Though she is nothing more than just a slave to this vile Gryph, she's able to hear much going around the ship.

The latest news, while leaving her very terrified and bloodied, allows her to hold hope once more in her heart that the world will once against begin to turn in their direction again. The information she has gained from this Gryphs' loss has increased morale quite a bit. The return of one of the princesses! There was always disillusion about such a thing happening, but they were nothing more than such. To hear confirmed information about such a thing...

She knows who will really enjoy such news. The thought nearly brings a smile to her face, but knowing smiling in such a delicate situation would certainly be her untimely end. She can't afford to die here and now. Not when there was so much to bed done. Not when she still needs to get her revenge.

Thankfully, there are mainly Griffins on the ship rather than griffons. Due to the more cat-like nature in Griffins, the ponies are able to get away with more than usual when it comes to sneaking around and managing to escape to deliver messages. Though getting caught can mean a lot worse fate than being caught by a Griffon. Griffins are creative and tend to know how to drag things out to best benefit them in the long wrong. This is why most of them are traitors when it comes to Gryphons.

The Gryphon in charge of this battlement is known as Grimtail. He used to go by something else, but he earned the name through the many raids he's gone through. One of the lesser-known Gryphons, but still powerful in all respects.

Grimtail stands breathing heavily before snapping towards the knock on his door.

"What," He growls out.

The door opens to reveal a silver griffin who seems to look at the room skeptically, "I just came to deliver a message from Duskfeather."

Grimtail's body seems to stiffen as he regards the Griffin, "And?"

"He said that he's heard about your recent victories and your second defeat. He was wondering if you were in need of some extra help. And that his offer stills stand."

Grimtail growls and lashes out against the wall, "You tell that pigeon breeder he can stuff it! This is my operation and I will rip the rewards from it! Not him or any of the other warlords! If he wants what I have here, you tell him he's going to have to take it from me!"

The griffin shrugs before turning towards the door, "Hey, I'm just here to pass the message along. Oh, before I forget, I hope you don't mind if we take some of your crew with us. They seemed very discontent with your leadership and asked if they could join up. We could always use some more fodder so we happily accepted."

"You what! Those treasonous bastards! Who the hell do you-"

Grimtail goes stock still as he feels claws pressing against his neck and sinking into his back directly where his spine is.

"I'm the Griffin you don't want to piss off. Now, I'm going to leave and you're going to try and do your best not to piss me off further okay? Or else, Duskfeather won't have to worry about dealing with you, because I will. Got it?"

He hadn't seen her move from her spot. Yet she was there, lethally ready to disable him. She slowly walks back from around him and gives him a wink, "Now you be a good hatchling and hurry up to your death, okay? Duskfeather is a very impatient Gyphon and he does not like to be made to wait for what should be his."

With that, the Griffin leave leaving Grimtail conflicted on what he should do moving forward. With his crew cut down, even more, he'll have to play very differently now. He turns to the mare he remembered was still in the room to find that she's no longer there. He snorts and figures he'll just find somepony else to relieve his stress out on.

Or in.

Twilight stands before the project dubbed Fall of the Sun. FotS for short. She glances down at the document they've managed to write up about the idea behind it, but still can't fully grasp what has led them to this. The mixing of machinery and magic was never unheard of, but to go on to this sort of lengths.

It was sickening. Yet comforting to know that the ponies have begun to think outside of the box. Unorthodox ways of achieving goals were frowned upon in her old life. She sought to figure out why and found kinship in her friends. She went on to join various different shadow groups much to the disappointment of her teacher. But she felt a similar disappointment in her as well.

Forge taps a hoof against his chin contemplating the question asked of him. She had asked what all material did he still require for the machine to be working. Or at least close to working enough to be used.

"Perhaps," He begins gazing at the mechanism, "Perhaps gems and crystals to help with the focus arrays. We've managed to get the science part down, but we can't yet get the magic to focus precisely on what we wish it to do. I know I needn't tell you that magic requires will and foci, but attaining such a thing, or replicating it, has been very difficult. We have thought of some... more inponmane ways. But none of us could go through it.

"Though your insight would be very welcomed into this problem. I'm sure my wife would be a lot happier if I could sleep better at night."

"I'm sure she would be." Twilight says running a hand across the front of the machine glancing at the exposed inner mechanism, "But you have the magic part inefficiently though. We could go at it from a completely different angle. I like what you have here honestly. To make use of things that no longer have use and give them purpose once more.

"Waste not want not at its finest.

"But, I want you to take a look at this. As you can see, the magic channeling through these lanes stagger or slow down depending what's near it. As you mentioned before, you had never witnessed the machine move like this before. And that's because it never had a proper magical supply. But we can fix that easily by adjusting the purpose of the components. We'll charge them like scroll spell arrays and have it focus more on fueling the spell than willing the spell. That way the foci I have in mind don't become overloaded by the various different forms of magic being channeled into it.

"As far as crystals and gems go, we could always use the ones under Canterhorn. That is, of course, if you choose to work with their military effort. If not, I'm sure the two of you could come up with some trade agreements."

Forge grimaces at that. Twilight can tell that the old stallion does not like the war in any sort of mention. He'd rather be far from any sort of military movement if possible. Yet he doesn't seem to mind helping to supply it. Of course, in his mind, he sees what he's doing as one thing that beats all. What he has in his hooves is a superweapon unlike any other. Something to put the fear of pony into all those that have caused grief upon their lands.

Twilight can't know everything about anything. As well-read as she may be, her knowledge can only extend so far. When it comes to magic, the theory, application, and power requirements are all there. But when it comes to how otherworldly matters take place such as machinery and how they are combined with magic, she's fairly in the dark. She would once call herself a pioneer before the fall but now she has quite the catching up to do.

It excites her. Many new experiments to test. New ways to fight. New ways to live. New ways to die.

"We're living in very interesting times~" Twilight sings out a bit giddily, "So what can you tell me about the others in the area? Or just in general. I'm sure you haven't been able to get everything here from the ruins around you."

"Ah. Well. A few of our partners would like to remain anonymous, but I'm sure I can tell you a few things here and there." Forget says unsure about his own answer.

Explain away as you can.

After a long conversation, it has become very apparent how split up most of the pony kin has become. Despite knowing that the Kirin decided to be half race traitors, it appears that there is a new race of ponies as well that have managed to crop up. They've been giving no official name, but they apparently live within the woods of the Everfree, Whitetail, and any other large masses of woods. Aside from this, the only real notable groups of ponies that are sensible seem to be Forge's, the Neo Canterlot, Friendship Guard, Apple Empire, and the Crusaders.

In order of power, it seems to be Apple Empire, the Crusaders, Neo Canterlot, Friendship Guard, and then everypony else. It is no surprise that the Apples were able to overcome whatever came at them and turn it in their favor. Especially since there are so many apples across the land. Their sense of community and oneness has been unlike any other Earth Pony family.

In all actuality, more than any family.

The other two raise some questions tho. Apparently, the Friendship guard is made of multiple factions that are meant to represent the various elements of friendship each with its own unique practices and names. They are each lead by their respective leaders and have the leader of the all dubbed The Magic. Nopony seems to know who this pony is, but it certainly has caught her attention.

Another thing would have to be their policy regarding the other friendly races. Apparently, their friendship doesn't expand that far. It's either ponies or nothing. Xenophobia within the Friendship Guard doesn't sound right. Meaning, one of her friends can't be involved with them.

Hopefully.

The Crusaders, as she had assumed upon hearing the name, is run by the Crusaders who have apparently matured quite a bit. Not only do they have their cutie marks, but they apparently are leading the ponies' second-largest army. The first belonging to the Apples who have taken up the same crusade as them. The only difference is that the Crusaders seem to be willing to forgive and forget while, as it has always been, the Apples remain stubborn to those that hurt them once. It seems they won't accept any traitorous help or help from those that they once called enemies.

Understandable, but quite short-sighted. A problem that will have to be fixed later when she's able to finally speak with Applejack about all of this. For now, she has to focus on the closest settlements. Or at least what's left of them. Ponies apparently don't get up here much due to the Gryph movements and looting. The ones that do come are usually very well guarded caravans that had to fight tooth and nail to get here. Due to this, trade for food that they need has been quiet, if the pun could be forgiven, fruitless.

More things to plan and consider. Any comments my dear teacher? Silence? Quite petty of you. Then again, you've always been quite the petty horse, haven't you? I'll take control from here on out for a while. Maybe after you simmer down and actually starting thinking, I'll see about letting you out of timeout.